Semana sobre África Subsahariana

Africa is becoming increasingly important on the international scene. Therefore, Africa is taking a more important place in the agendas of the various foreign affairs services, especially those of Spain, whose geographical, historical, human and cultural ties with Africa are particularly deep.

That is why this conference on sub-Saharan Africa is being held at the Diplomatic School in collaboration with Casa África, Africa 2.0 and ATOS. The academic section takes place from 21-23 November, culminating on 25 November in a high-level conference on Africa at which different professionals and key players will share their views on Africa.

The world's third largest continent is still unknown to most, and yet Africa is a continent full dynamism and growth which also presents numerous investment opportunities for our companies. Five of the ten economies that have grown most rapidly in recent years are African, and it is also the continent with the largest youth population in the world.

Africa occupies just over 20% of the Earth’s total land area. There are 54 countries and more than 1.1 billion inhabitants. Africa is considered to be the cradle of mankind and the continent contains some of the countries which are richest in mineral resources and raw materials. 2,100 languages are spoken ​​in Africa, a figure that is even more striking with the knowledge that there are 6,800 spoken in the world.

But this data cannot cloud a reality that still requires a concerted global action to effect change. It is estimated that by 2030, most of the world's poor will be located in Africa; more than 33 million children in need, the rise of terrorism, the persistence of conflicts, etc.

This situation throughout sub-Saharan Africa in the twenty-first century, and Africa’s process of integration into the international community, is a fact that no foreign affairs service can ignore. In the case of Spain, it is a strategic, economic and political priority. So, this week, when we’ll see the participation of different Africanist experts in the fields of external relations, academia and business, among others, is expected to be an opportunity to analyse the situation across Africa, as well as the various challenges which must be faced in the twenty-first century.

The general director of Casa África, Luis Padrón, will participate in this meeting and on 22 November will give a presentation on Spanish foreign policy regarding sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, Casa África’s press officer, Joan Tusell, will moderate the debate on 25 November on the view of Africa presented in the media.

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